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Touch is an essential thing. We human beings require it. But our cultural attitudes, particularly in Western society, have only been getting more narrowed and conflicting. By disappearing further and further into our devices we not only starve ourselves of the critical bonding that touch provides but we also risk losing our familiarity and comfort with touch all together. By making dating apps our primary access to physical contact we relegate all touch to the dating sphere, over-sexualising it and strangling away the space for simple social and connecting touch which only deepens our sense of isolation.
Rather than broadening our experiences and perceptions of touch we are becoming more guarded and distrustful of what little contact we do have. That there is a growing industry of people offering their services as professional platonic snugglers is a very clear indicator we are truly losing touch with touch.
Touch is crucial to our physical health.
Study after study shows how intensely necessary physical connection is to our development and well-being. As adults even minimal regular touch can have enormous impact on our quality of life by lowering blood pressure, strengthening our…